Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Broken Memories
by Charlesguy
Summary: When beings invade the land of Shiron 4 lone Pokémon stand in their way. This is not their story however. What if there was a Beheeyem on the loose...? What if it entered the human realm...? What if it killed a human...? And what if it did something with that same human's memories? (Spinoff to ShadowVulpi's Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Broken Ideals.) Gets MUCH better after chapter 1.
1. Chapter 1

_The more yarn spins, the more it comes undone. Welcome to Earth, third rock from it's sun. -Anonymous._

The land of Shiron... Some call it blessed by an otherworldly arrival... but most call it cursed by beings from yet another world. These beings were once Pokémon... but no more. They are now referred to as Plagued Ones. Few have ever lived to give an accurate description of these creatures were the very led by an unknown force, who had an obsession with a certain visitor...

Now picture this... A city known as Aurora Town is downright, coated with the blood of the innocent, after an attack from the Plagued Ones. A group, fighting the Plagued Ones, simply known as the "Fellowship" is forced to disband, the next morning. Some members leave to join other branches of the Fellowship. Others are dismissed... permanently.

Several months later, a feral (Pokémon that have not yet gained a civilized nature,) from a small lake, grows curious enough to approach the ruins... Sadly for him, there is a Plagued Beheeyem, sticking around... and it's controller is planning an experiment with him...

* * *

**Aurora Town Outskirts.**

Holy crap, I felt like a wreck... I was laying in a field upon waking up, (like a drunkard,) I had a MASSIVE migraine, (again, like a drunkard,) and I had seemingly selective amnesia, (once again, like a drunkard.) Good lord, for someone who dislikes his home-town, solely because of it's past of drug and alcohol abuse, I certainly felt like a hypocrite. ___What was it called again...? _I asked myself. I figured if I just lay there and rest, my head would stop spinning. I tried to cycle through my memories but nothing came up...___Amnesia... great... the only time you need to identify yourself too..._ I thought to myself, cursing my poor luck. I couldn't remember ANYTHING about myself. Not my name, not my appearance, Nothing.

O.K. Let's see...

No one to be heard: Check. I certainly wasn't gonna go searching either.

In Pain: Double Check. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to feel pain, but it's a good sign that you're still alive... I think I broke something.

Still Physically Intact: Well that's a Half-Check... I, uh... I think my reaction, upon confirming this, sums it up...

___Why do my incisors feel longer... not to mention sharper... And on top of that... I can't feel two of my fingers... on both hands. Same goes for my toes..._ A breeze rushed by, ruffling, ___Wait... is that... FUR?!_ This discovery led me to quickly open my eyes again and stand up, only to fall over on what seemed to be some kind of tails _WHA-____?! _Yes, there was indeed a gray beaver-like tail, out my back, same shade as the fur on my... is it 'hands' or 'paws?' It was causing the most pain, which to be fair would make sense. Let's see YOU extend your spine, without causing pain.

Now allow me to say this... I was human. At least I REMEMBER being human, anyways. I don't think a human, who was SOMEHOW placed into the body of a Dewott, would start off with both scalchops, let alone one...

I hope I won't deter you, by saying I'm very loose mouthed, but I think the proper reaction would be to "Shit Bricks," and scream in terror. Not me though... Oh I was shocked, TERRIFIED even... I mean wouldn't you be if you were in a form that wasn't your own? The thing about me though, is I don't scare easily. I'm not even saying it to be cool, or anything; I simply don't talk enough for me to involuntarily let my voice be heard. In my head however I was shrieking, like a scared little girl... The difference, though, was my... eh... colorful vocabulary...___OH SHIT, OH SHIT! ____OH. SHIT!_ I repeated to myself...

Upon trying to get up, I simply fell again adding to the embarrassment. ___GODDAMMIT THAT HURTS!_ Once again, I apologize for my word choice. I eventually got over my initial shock, and decided I should learn how to control the muscles in my tail, if I wanted any mobility.

I eventually figured if I stayed calm and collected it would control itself... sho' enough, it did just that. Other than that it was just a bi-pedal walking cycle. Nothing I didn't know by nature. I figured I should observe my surroundings, now that I basically re-learned how to walk. Starting with myself...

___Let's see... __Aqua blue fur, from head to torso, gray fur covering my ears, tail, and paws, flaps of skin, covered in navy blue fur...____ Definitely a Dewott... Great..._ The only thing that seemed remotely human was the unkempt headfur. ___With any luck I'll know something useless, like Tackle... _I sighed. ___It's not like I WANT to know basic defense... I can barely walk... _Saving my self-doubt for later, (which is highly unusual by the way,) the next step was to try and recall what happened.

___Lemme think... I remember giving the local police force the location of a drug deal. Then my sword... Yeah, my Master Replica Sword... I offered assistance._ I thought I was piecing it together, for a sec... ___...then... c'mon what happened... oh..._ I remembered staring down the barrel of a sawed shotgun, followed by the click of a trigger. ___Why weren't the police there though? You'd think in the midst of a drug-bust they'd be there, armed with tasers and several models of the glock. _I couldn't remember much other then that. I remembered a wispy form of some kind holding the modded weapon to my face, and that was it.

"Ugh..." I felt another migraine coming my way, I guess it's for the better if I just try not to think about it. Couldn't be good if I was shot to death, right? The next thing that came to mind was _Where am I?_ I looked to my right and didn't see much. A wall of twisted branches and leaves, with an entrance of some kind as if welcoming the next visitor to their oncoming demise. _Foreboding...__  
_

I looked behind me and found I had been positioned under a tree. _Well that's oddly convenient._ Looking to my left, however, I found something far more interesting. About a quarter of a mile away a wall of granite surrounded the charred remnants of what was once a grand - and possibly beautiful - city. Smoke rose from small piles of wood, while statues and sculptures were overturned. _Well... Shit._

Next: a set of tools. Actually I already had a tool... two even. A little-known fact about the Oshawott family is that their scalchops aren't just weapons, but also carpentry and blunt tools. _That was easy..._Next-up was food. From what little I remembered, I recalled that Dewott are omnivorous. Perfect. I can eat whatever I find. Figuring the ruins in the distance would likely satisfy those needs, and even likelier, shelter, I figured I should take a look in town.

* * *

**Aurora Town Ruins.**

To say the place was in shambles would be a VERY slight overstatement. Very few buildings were standing, don't get me wrong, but those that were stood strong and proud, like the last few warriors In a field of fallen heroes. _If they weren't inanimate I'd give them a reality check..._ Yes I was VERY down-to-earth, and found very little value in several things...

What I did find surprisingly cool though, was how everything seemed to be downsized, and built by, and for, Pokémon. Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if Pokémon DID live here at one point. The size, the special doorknobs, the only thing that looked remotely human was... well... the fact that these ruins even existed. There was also a forge, that was left standing. No fire, but some flint and steel would fix that. ___Food and shelter, before weaponry and armor. I can recreate my Master Replica Sword later._

When I came to the first building, about 2 hours after entering town, I was in what was most likely the market area. Starting with a small building that was left standing, I opened the door, and a flurry of repulsive scents assaulted my now-sensitive nose. "Oh... oh god..." I lost it... I actually ran out and threw up. The scents of murder, and rotting meat were fresh, despite how old the corpses in there most likely were. Left-out Magikarp, rested on the counter, giving off the worst stench, Grumpigs hung from meat-hooks, like a horror flick... It was too much for me to handle. If the rotting meat wasn't enough of an indication, this was clearly an old butcher's shop. What was especially disturbing was how they were clearly Pokémon. Were these residents... cannibals? For my sake I certainly hoped not.

I decided I would try to find some apples growing in the remaining trees, at that point. Another hour went by and I found the following: 1 Small house, still relatively intact with a few required but simple structural repairs, 4 feet of... woven string it looked, about 3 or 4 apples, and lastly a black messenger bag. Picking a chunk of flint off the gravel road, and a few broken planks of wood from the rubble, I decided to head back to the forge, not being surprised if there was steel already there. Recalling an early human weapon I figured I could make a small crossbow.

After stoking the fires, and fueling them with wood, I searched around the forge for a thin strip of steel... there was definitely steel, but not in strips. There was what looked like a rod though, so I simply had to heat it, and bang it flat, using a scalchop.

While I did this I just noticed how the fire was having an effect on my affinity towards water. Naturally moves like Sunny Day would have an effect, but I didn't think fire in general would. If anything I should have a type advantage. I finished the strip and quickly drilled a hole through each end, and stepped outside to catch my breath.

When I felt cool enough to return, the fires were dying down, and the strip of steel I had created was starting to go cold. I proceeded to shape it into an arch, and continued to wait. Another hour of work, and I had carved, shaped, and woven enough materials to craft a light crossbow. It was rough, and I didn't have any bolts, but this was the first time I recalled creating something with the intention of using it. Was I proud? Semi-pleased yes, but certainly not proud.

Pride was a flaw, in my opinion. I guess having a low self-esteem can also be a problem, but when you get over-confident you start to risk victory. I ended up noticing several flaws in it's aesthetics, which brought me to criticizing myself... again...

I guess the thing I feared more than anything else was myself. I might not be able to remember much, but I do remember who I was... I think. I seemed to remember several small details about myself, but with several "blanks" in between them. As stated earlier the house I found needed structural repairs, but for now it would stand.

Using my bag as a pillow, I started to consider a few things... For starters (Oshawott pun is unintentional) it seemed I could remember a select few things, like my past, my "death," and minuscule details like weaponry. I couldn't remember who I was though. Every time I tried to recall my name, all my efforts gave me was a headache, and an image of an untouched lake. I felt like I had been robbed of my identity.

To be honest though, I didn't feel like I had much of an identity to begin with. Just an average teen from a forgotten semi-industrial state. I would just be a simple remnant of my species' violent past, politicians being either power hungry assholes, or intolerable dumbasses. I didn't feel like we hadn't traveled to KOI-701.4 because of limits in our engineering skills, but because of humanity's lust for power.

I'm not saying everyone of us is necessarily stupid, and panicky, but we're not exactly spring Torchic. which brings me back to the topic of fearing myself. It's in human nature to fear the unknown, so would one fear oneself if they knew little of who they were? I'm not one to say what people should think, but I ALWAYS ask myself that.

Well... Actually there was something that was bothering me. My starting position. It was strangely convenient how I started off under a tree, with two scalchops that I shouldn't have. I wasn't gonna complain mind you, but it just seems... odd...

After slavering away in the forge I was naturally tired. When I felt sleep come to me, I never noticed. It was a quiet and dreamless sleep that I had unconsciously savored every moment of.


	2. Chapter 2

Upon waking up I instinctively reached over for my glasses. Not finding them I opened my eyes to see the same slate grey paw from before. _Shit... I hate it when my dreams are real. I can't go more then a week without my internet. I won't last long._ Tech withdrawal is something that I STILL suffer from to this day, and this world looked very - what's the word? - Primitive to me. Thus I would need something to occupy my time.

I figured the best way to do that would be to get started on the house, and maybe get some ammo for my crossbow. _Speaking of which..._ I thought to myself, _I need to name it._ I know it might make me look like a pansy, but think about it. Legendary weapons in fiction always have names. The Legend of Zelda has the Master Sword, Dungeons & Dragons has Blackrazor (amongst others,) Lord of the Rings has Sting... The problem is that swords are easier to name than crossbows.

_ House..._ I said, trying to redirect myself. _Starting with that roof... 'sides I'm terrible with names._ The roof and walls had a few holes, which left me feeling very cold when I woke up. No rain thankfully, but Dewott typically have an ability called "Torrent." This ability gives strength in the rain, so even if I didn't sleep well because of weather I would have felt alert anyway. I just needed some 4x4s to patch the holes, and I thought I saw some iron nails in the smelter's shop. _Not a great material, but it should do._ After spending an hour on the roof, I took some sticks and started to shaped some bolts. _Useless without feathers though. Might be some in the butcher's shop, but that will be a last resort... Let's go exploring._

I found enough feathers for about eight bolts, _Meh... Beggars can't be choosers,_ and a boycott, which conveniently enough had two wheels on one end so it could be pulled. Packing Two apples into my messenger bag, along with the bolts, I decided to take a long trek around town, and look for survivors afterwards. What I found was... interesting to say the least. A faint chanting sound led me to a group of trees connected together by bridges and tree houses littered down town, as if this was some big organization. A bit of exploration showed an entry, cut-off from the ground due to a broken and rotting rope ladder, leading up into the tree.

_ I HAVE to get to that chanting... it sounds almost like a cultist having a ritual._ We couldn't have THAT now COULD we? I approached the ladder cautiously, like it was going disintegrate any second. It very well could, in that state. CLEARLY this thing was unsafe, but I was literally two thirds my original size, so the same could be said for my weight right...? Right...?

I started climbing the rope ladder hearing a frightening creak every time I put a paw to the boards. I continued repeating the phrase "_Don't look down..."_ with every slab of wood I pulled myself onto. One board broke when I lifted my foot from it, scaring me even worse. _Is the next board gonna break? Am I gonna fall? Will the entire ladder fall? OH SHIT, HOW MUCH NOISE WILL THAT BOARD MAKE?!_ The board made a loud THUD! as it hit the ground. I held the ladder motionless waiting for someone inside to respond... Nothing. _Holy balls! I have no idea how their chanting can drown that out, but WHO CARES?! _All that mattered was that I could end my dangerous (and admittedly clumsy) climb.

* * *

**Aurora Town Fellowship**

Reaching the top of the ladder took me to the tree's entrance and the tree in question smelled of fear and betrayal, with perhaps a dash of self-disappointment. These trees obviously housed several Pokémon at one point, and perhaps had even been workplaces at one point or another but like so many other things in this town, it suffered from the flow of time. More of that nauseating smell from the butcher's shop suggested a kitchen area.

What drew my attention away from the smell though was a very young Emolga seemingly paralyzed from the neck down. Towering over him was a chanting Beheeyem who I would've thought had serious B.O. as a result of the red wisps coming off it's body, had it not been for the yellow eyes, replacing it's normal green.

Did it worry me? OF COURSE IT DID! This thing was going to end the life of an Emolga who was (most likely) not even ten! I'm not normally into the whole hero business, but typically this is because of a responsibility that I don't feel I can bare. When there's a child involved (who has probably been traumatized by all of this) I always feel like I need to get involved. I loaded a bolt into my crossbow, and prepared to sneak around to a position where I could fire the wooden cylinders without harming the kid. Sneaking behind an overturned reception desk, I gave myself a clear shot without having to worry about the Emolga.

I gripped the trigger in my left paw, preparing to direct it with my right. I felt myself drop a sweat bead. I reached over the desk crossbow at the ready, firing at the Beheeyem... I never hit my target. The Beheeyem dissipated into a cloud of red mist and focused it's attention to me, slowly approaching me as I loaded a second bolt.

It stopped coming towards me when it saw me load that second bolt. It was clear that it didn't fear my weapon, as it returned to a "solid" state and simply stared. It stayed like that for a few seconds before suddenly disappearing into the sky. "Hmmph..." I responded. "Hey kid, you O.K. Back there?" I asked hoping I wouldn't have to deal with any medical problems. "I'm fine!" He replied. His tone of voice implied that he was typically a very chipper pers- err... pokémon, But the situation kept him from displaying this happy attitude.

"You sure? You looked pretty bad back there..."

"No really I'm Fi- OW!"

I came running over to see what happened. The kid's wing membrane was torn in the scuffle, now bleeding profusely, like the mouth of a river cutting into the ocean. "I don't think your fine. You can't fly with that cut open, for one..." I said, checking him over. "and you clearly sprained your ankle just now, for another."

"Err... Can you...?"

"As long as I'm here..." the kid needed help getting around until his ankle was healed, and we needed a good healer for him to fly. The only thing we could do was head to the nearby hospital and try to find some gauze wrap, for his wing membrane... O.K. I'm just gonna call it a wing now. "Where are your parents kid?"

"..."

"Oh..." That was a sensitive area, no doubt. I still needed to hand him over to SOMEONE who knew him though. "Do you have any relatives that can look after you?"

"I have an Aunt and Uncle in Polaris Town."

"That is?"

"A day's hike north of here. It was quicker for me 'cause I could fly but obviously that tool's out of the picture, and I don't think I could carry you, anyway." _True... either way I'm stuck with you for 3 days. I might have to deal with an easily excitable person..._ "Speaking of tools, THAT was COOL what you did back there...!" _And here he comes... _"That was AWESOME! That Plagued One just looked at your weapon and ran! Is that a HUMAN weapon by the way?! I've heard several rumors about humans..."

* * *

**Aurora Town Ruins**

It went on and on like this with him leaning on my shoulder until we reached my place of residence, at which point I nearly picked him up in both arms, and held him in place. I just settled for holding him in place from the shoulders. "KID!" I said desperately trying to stop his rant. "Yes?" he replied smiling innocently. "I'm glad you appreciate my help, but I need you to cooperate with me O.K?"

"Sure!" he replied. I sighed. "I'm going to run down the street and get some gauze from the hospital... I want you to stay inside and rest on the boycott 'till I get back... keep holding that wound shut O.K?" When we'd left what I learned was the "Fellowship" I'd told him to put his good wing over the wing and hold it there, to prevent a blood loss induced coma. "O.K." He said limping inside.

During my trip to the hospital and back I tried to think of how to explain my origin story. _I can't tell him I was human, nor' could I tell him my name if I remembered it..._ I tried to think of a name first of all... Something water related... _water... current... Current. _Current. Perfect name for a Dewott. Now my backstory... nothing. My mind drew a blank. _Hmm... I'm just gonna have to come up with something on the spot..._ I was TERRIBLE with backstories and an awful liar, so I would naturally be worried.

I guess he'll just have to know when he asks. As I returned home I saw him sleeping soundly on my boycott. _A day like this can take a lot out of you I suppose._ In a way I envied him. Childhood innocence... we all lose it eventually. His might have just been taken away when that thing he called a Plagued One attacked him. Perhaps when his parents died. _And yet despite all of this he remains so cheerful... I REALLY hope he doesn't see me as a brother. For HIS sake..._ He started shaking and mumbling something... _I'd better wake him up. I gotta bandage that wing anyway._"Hey kid... kid..."

"Mmmwha...?"

"Bit of a nightmare there...?"

"...Yeah..." he said bowing his head sadly. "...about my parents..." he finished. "..." I didn't know what to say. Finally mustering up my words I started asking him questions to try and calm his nerves. "What were your parents like?" he raised his head trying to conceal his tears, as I bandaged his wing. "They were great... Loving, supportive, encouraging. Everything a parent should be." I had to suppress a smile. "They died in an attack on aurora town. The plagued ones attacked a couple months ago, and I've been living with my aunt and uncle ever since." _Poor kid..._

"I keep having this recurring nightmare where they ask me why I didn't save them..." He broke down there, and started crying into my chest, hugging me as if I were his brother. _I want him to stop treating me like a family member but I've gotta do SOMETHING for him._ "Kid... I know your not a psychic type, but try to jump into your parents' minds."

He looked up and sniffled. "Oh... O.K.?" he said not sure how to respond. "Do you think they would want you to feel bad for their death?" I said, smartly. "No." he said catching on. "Then don't." I smiled and ruffled his headfur. "You shouldn't blame yourself for something you had no control over..." _Try telling that to yourself ya hypocrite... _"Thanks mr..." he trailed off. "Current. Call me Current."

As I slept on the floor, once again using my bag as a pillow, I noticed something unusual about this whole situation. My sister (whose name eluded me at the time) looked up to me in a very similar way to how the Emolga did. It bugged me how he started acting like a kid brother around me. _I should really get his name._

"By the way kid, I never got YOUR name OR age."

"Emile... and about 11 later this week."

"Thanks." We figured we should get some early sleep... we had a LONG hike ahead of us. As I lay on a couch that had somehow been spared though, I started to think my plan of action over... _What should I do with him...? I can hardly trust myself around something as mundane as a pair of __ear buds... the damn things always fizzle out on the left. _The best course of action provided that... thing... didn't chase after the two of us, or was waiting at Emile's residence, was to escort him back to Polaris Town.

If it WAS there... I didn't know what I would do... my crossbow had no crank, like they typically do and a second hand crossbow like my own was unfit as a sign to become a weapon craftsman. Not to mention I would still have to look after myself, whether I got him back or not. _I'll see if a get a reward for returning Emile and decide what to do from there..._ For now though... I had to sleep.

* * *

**Sorry you had to witness that crap I posted earlier. I got a little overexcited when I saw that I'd gotten a review and follow, and ended up releasing that half-ass'd draft. I went back to reread it and decided to revise it... While I have your attention, I have two announcements... **

**1. I am accepting OC submissions. As long as your characters do not have stories that interfere with my ideas for a story I will consider them**

**2. I need reviews. I need them to know what I am doing wrong. ****With that said I appreciate my already existing single review, and will appreciate any further reviews that are left.**

**I am Charles "Charlesguy" Broadsword, signing off.**


	3. Chapter 3

I didn't sleep well that night. There were several things that were bothering me. Lemme narrow them down in this list.

1. Emile. (He was a very cheery kid, even for someone who's parents died. He concealed his sadness very well until you had a good conversation about them, too.)

2. Myself. (To be honest I thought I was a few fruit loops short of a complete breakfast, and that oddly convenient starting position was a little unnerving.)

3. The "Plagued Ones." (I didn't know much, but from Emile's description they should be avoided.)

4. The Beheeyem. (Aside from the the Beheeyem being "Plagued" I heard that they can alter memories. That's never a good thing.)

5. The hike to Polaris Town. (I simply couldn't sleep.)

6. Emile's folks.

7. How I would support myself... (and Emile if something went wrong.)

8. The locals' response to my crossbow.

...O.K. that last one is the least of my concerns, but it still made me anxious. I was most concerned about No. 7. Getting off the "couch" and stepping outside, I checked the position of the moon. It's craters were certainly different then what I was familiar with, but I was who knows where, on an unusual planet, orbiting a potentially older star than Sol, somewhere... SOMEWHERE in the infinite expanse of space... that may not even be in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Pushing aside how small I felt (and the lack of artificial light didn't help either) I instead focused on the thankfully single moon, and determined that it was about 3:00 AM... In this planet's time of course. A class M planet with a time frame similar to that of Earth's is possible (the universe IS endless) but HIGHLY unlikely. Typically I woke up at about 8:14 A.M. when I was Emile's age (at least in a rough estimate,) so I figured I would try and light a plank of wood using the flint and steel again, and try to collect some materials for the trip.

I went back inside to collect my messenger bag, (which contained my flint and steel,) and stepped outside once again to light the torch, so as not to start a house fire. My first stop was the hospital, for medical supplies... I didn't find much that we could use other than more gauze wrap, though I imagine that some of these glowing stones could be of use. They were found in crates labeled with what I refer to as "footprint runes..." Hey I'm not calling this civilization old... as a matter-of-fact it means that it's quite young. _Actually... I should probably start writing a journal of my findings... In my own written language of course. _Now I took a quick walk past the house to the Fellowship where I could most likely find a few useful camping supplies.

* * *

**Aurora Town Fellowship**

I didn't find much other then a backpack with rather large straps. It was a bright brown, with several pouches, but nothing too special. Still I put it on over my messenger bag's strap and ventured further into the Fellowship, in hopes of finding paper, and maybe some graphite. Ignoring the feeling of dread, and the smell of the deceased I found what I guessed housed the head honcho of this place. I didn't find much other than the paper and pencil I was after, but on my way out I saw something I think someone in the audience might recognize.

I peaked into a small room with four nests of hay, obviously used for beds. What bugged me the most though was a pair of bone-halves that I would later recognize as a broken leg-bone from a Hoothoot. Judging by the dried blood that caked the broken ends, I'd say this bone was in use, even after it broke... though not for long I gathered. I didn't know if I'd meet this kid or not, but I had to commend him for improvising the way he did. He was a genius. He might as well have made a single bludgeoning weapon into dual blades.

I decided to take them with me, though I didn't know when I'd use them. I'd probably make a pair of knives and use them as the hilts. Pleased with my findings I stepped outside again and checked the time... 6:42 A.M. I decided to head home and try to at least get half an hour of sleep... However when I got home the sun was already up. But the worst part about it... so was Emile... and he wasn't pleased when he saw that I'd skipped my sleep...

* * *

**Aurora Town Ruins**

"You tell me to rest, and you go off to collect SUPPLIES?! You're a real hypocrite. I'd hurt you right now if I didn't want your opinion on this!" He said hand me a book labeled _"Delta Altaria – 200 blueprints and manual."_...wait... "Wha...?!" My eyes opened in shock... "English?!"

"I get that response from ever- wait... WHAT?! YOU UNDERSTAND THAT CRAP?!" I nodded, and began to read aloud "The _Delta Altaria – _200 model is a lightweight space-craft made in the Earth year 2087, and is one of the first space-craft to come equipped with weapons. It is the final product of a collaborative project between N.A.S.A. and the Soviet Union to create a balanced starfighter specializing in speed and agility, as well as a new cloaking devi-"

"STOP!" he suddenly cried. "First I don't understand ANY of this! NON OF IT! 'Earth?!' 'Starfighter?!' 'N.A.S.A.?!' WHAT ARE THESE?!" He clearly didn't like being left in the dark, so I just closed my eyes, bowed my head, and waited for him to finish "Second WHAT Pokémon would be able to wright in this 'English'?! Lastly HOW CAN YOU UNDERSTAND IT?!"

I was afraid of this moment... I'd better give him the run-down. "O.K. just calm yourself so you can't interrupt me. First of all lemme explain my true origins..." I started. "I may appear to be a Pokémon and I may very well be, but I SHOULD be human." He looked ready to gasp but said nothing. "Why I have taken this form upon arriving here is beyond me. The fact that we've even gotten anything alive past Earth's moon is news to me.

"Which brings up my next point. You know what stars are right?" he nodded. "Sure I do. They're little balls of light. We see them in the sky every night." _He's close enough. _I nodded. "They're actually much larger than you might think. Start gathering your things and I'll explain along the way..."

* * *

**Road to Polaris.**

I spent a good long hour explaining basic astronomy to him. His eyes bulged at certain points, such as when I explained to him that the sun was a star in itself, the fact that different planets may have potential life, the very CONCEPT of planets... "It still doesn't explain one thing..." he said as we stopped at the top of a plateau. "You said you were initially human." I held my head between two digits. "It also doesn't explain this whole time-gap thing."

I nodded "I understand if you don't believe me. I don't think a second-rate weapon of human origin is going to be enough proof. Nor' is my ability to translate written English..." he put a paw on my shoulder. "I believe you..." He said, surprising me. "As Pokémon we always believed that humans were creatures of legend, and we idolize you as symbols of intelligence and justice." I chuckled. "As flattering as that is I beg to differ. I don't think the last thing I would remember would be staring down the wrong end of an explosion based weapon, is that were the case."

He gave me a confused look, as I hadn't explained this to him. I sighed. "Listen, Emile. It's not something we should dwell upon at the moment. For now let's just get you back to your Aunt and Uncle." he nodded. "Oh and Emile?"

"Yeah?"

"Mind if I kept this book?"

He laughed and nodded. _Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought. With any luck I might be able to reproduce this "Delta Altair" Ship and make a good chunk o' scientific change._ I still found it odd that it even existed though. Personally though I didn't give a Rattata's ass at the time. All I cared about then was getting the kid home. "Oh and by the way Emile."

"Yeah?"

I handed him the second bag. "Present."


	4. Chapter 4

**Announcement: Any inconsistencies involving Current's memories will be explained in this chapter. I know it may come off as cheap, using the main plot point to cover up what looks like errors, but this was planned to assist in my story's continuity.**

* * *

I spent a good portion of the walk looking the book over, stopping only for the fruits I had gathered for our lunch. This _Delta Altair_ spacecraft was very... interesting to say the least. Looking at the blueprints revealed a grand total of six wings. The ship itself resembled a modern N.A.S.A. shuttle but with no rudder wing. It had a pair of wings above the thrusters rather than below, with an extra thruster hanging from both of these two wings, not unlike a pair of jet turbines. Jutting out from the rear was a pair of equally large wings angled at 30 degrees outward, but no turbines. _These must replace the rudder... they have the right position._ Extending from the front was a pair of weapon pods each with a wing of their own, like a pair of arms reaching for it's prey.

_I guess it's up to the consumer to decide what weapons are used... I can't see any firepower specs. I wonder how far into space it can get without refueling._ Speaking of space I'd absolutely fascinated Emile with the mere concept of astronomy. Constellations, planets, and even the possibility of putting a living thing on the moon; human OR Pokémon. "So you ACTUALLY put someone on your moon?" he asked upon being told of the Apollo missions. "What was it like? Did you meet any other forms of life?"

"Actually we didn't. Natural satellites like a moon are simply too small, and too cold to support life without breathing equipment." I'd already explained the basics of atmospheric pressure and the like to him. "The fact is a planet or moon needs to be very dense to have a breathable atmosphere. In addition raw oxygen alone isn't enough. There's also..." I trailed off... the nearby grass rustled for a second time. "Keep your back to me."

He complied, and I bagged the book. I could've sworn I heard something. I removed my crossbow and a bolt from a pouch in the bag, that I'd decided to use as my quiver. "Do you know how to fight?" I whispered, trying to remain quiet. He started thinking. "Lemme see... I know Quick Attack, Thundershock, and Charge." I blinked in confusion. "What are you...? Never mind. Just watch my back and don't lose me if we run." He nodded. Now I know it may seem strange that I used my scalchops efficiently enough to create a crossbow, and I can't recognize three attacks. Don't worry, that will be explained a little later.

We continued advancing down the road with Emile backing into me the whole way. We heard the occasional rustling but... strangely enough nothing attacked... as if the offender WANTED us to continue, like they were pushing us forward. _Unnerving..._ "Hey Emile...? I think this thing is guiding us into danger." He turned his head in my direction. "Yeah, I feel like that too." _Good... It's not just... Oh good lord, what is that?_ We came to a stop. In our path was a balcony of trees similar to the one I saw when I woke up. No other way around. One way in, One path to follow. "Dang" Emile responded, breaking position. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to pass through it."

"Pass through?" I asked. "Current, do you have Mystery Dungeons on Earth?" he inquired. "No..." I replied. "These are places that have been corrupted by some kind of unknown force. No one knows who or what it is, but what is known about Mystery Dungeons is that they always change. No path through is the same twice."

"Interesting... and there's no way around this one?"

"There usually isn't..." he confirmed. I sighed. "Alright... Nothing ventured nothing gained I suppose... Is this one all that big?" _I certainly hope not._ "It doesn't look that old... it probably got corrupted last week. The older a Mystery Dungeon, the more land it spreads to." I closed my eyes and started thinking to myself. "hmm... I want you to return to the back-to-back position, 'kay?"

He nodded in agreement. "Good... let's get this over with..."

**Lunar Forest S1**

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It was starting to get dark by the time we entered, so we needed to get out, and get out quickly. Suffice to say I hadn't been in combat before. I didn't know how I would handle self-defense, and it didn't take a genius to know that I shouldn't try to take a note from Emile. "Oh and Current..." _Speak o' the devil._ "I should warn you that not all Pokémon are as civilized as the two of us..." I motioned for him to continue. "These Pokémon are referred to as feral. They don't typically try to bother civilians, but in Mystery Dungeons they become VERY hostile." _Great... no time for the basics, just gotta skip the easy difficulty._ "Well let's try and avoid a confrontation."

"I haven't gone one trip through one without a battle... though admittedly I usually fly over them." _Oh well THAT'S reassuring..._ I thought to myself.

**Lunar Forest S2**

* * *

Eventually we reached a two path fork. I told Emile to stay where he was, and checked the locals' "poker faces." Both paths were dark, but the one on the right looked fairly straight. I didn't know if this was an illusion or not but I was more focused on the rustling than the paths themselves. "Hmm... Emile. Return to position." I said. "We might have a fight on our hands pretty soon."

I checked my crossbow... loaded. _Good._ "We're taking the left path." As we proceeded down said path I heard... growling. I exchanged a glance with Emile. "Tell me that was your stomach." a horizontal shake of the head confirmed my fears... followed by an angry Rattata, charging in our direction. _Damn... I don't know what it is yet... but it doesn't take a scholar to know that he's angry._ I noticed that it's fangs were... glowing... _Either that's an angler-fish style lure, or he's charging for an attack._ I took no chances, and let a bolt loose. _Crap, I missed._ It kept coming at me, and I didn't have enough time to load another bolt... From here I lost all conscious thought, and just acted

Ditching the crossbow, I reached for the two scalchops... and charged. A blue blade sprouted from each scalchop, shimmering like the sun against water. I parried both fangs away with one blade, and used the other to attack the jugular. He used the momentum from my defensive maneuver to dash off to the left, dodging my attempt for his neck. He charged again, this time his speed increased with the anger of a failed catch. I combat-rolled under him as he pounced and quickly backed into him, using the momentum of my weight to dog-pile him. With my opponent caught under my weight I shoved a blade into his shoulder bone, immobilizing him. He began spewing a river of blood from his front left shoulder, and fell into a pain induced coma. I stopped, deciding that he would most likely die of blood loss by the time he woke up.

"Oh... God..." I felt worse then I did at the butcher's shop. It wasn't the smell. It didn't smell at all, due to how recent the kill was... it was the fact that I delivered the kill itself. The blades "retracted" and I fell backwards onto the corpse in a daze, gripping the weapons like a child's two favorite plush toys. _I can't believe I killed that Rattata so ruthlessly... wait... Rattata... is that what it is... but... there aren't any Pokémon on earth... how would I know...? When I used the scalchops as carpentry tools... was I improvising, or was that instinctual? But then how would I have made the crossbow?_

I felt VERY conflicted... like I had found that one thing was fact, only to discover that the exact opposite was fact as well... it was impossible. _How did I even know Razor Shell...? wha- how do I know what that move is called...?_ My vision was going hazy. I kept getting the image of that same lake, from whenever I try to recall the important details of my past. I closed my eyes in frustration. "GAH! I JUST DON'T KNOW!" I cried out. A jab to the upper arm brought me back to reality. I was about to lash out at the feral attacking me, until I came face-to-face Emile. _Why did I expect a feral if I've only dealt with one?_

"Current...?" he asked worriedly. "I'll... be fine. For now anyway." That was an obvious lie on my part. He didn't dwell upon it though. However he asked this: "Where did you learn THAT technique? I've never seen a civil Dewott use that strategy!" _Wait... did he say civil?_ "That attack directly to the neck is usually frowned upon in most circumstances. Feral Dewott however go directly for the throat." I continued sitting on my kill, in deep thought. _That's... a little frightening to say the least... Oh who am I fucking around with? THAT'S FUCKING HORRIFING NEWS!_ I made an attack that was frowned upon by civil members of my current species... and yet something told me to go for the neck first. Something demanded that I start there... Something... Natural. Not the good natural that we welcome into our homes and countries pride themselves in...

I began to scratch my head a few times. "Well... I'm not a normal Dewott am I?" I said hoping that my human lifestyle was responsible. _Yeah that's it... we ALWAYS go for the deadliest blow first, to try and end it quicker... SURELY my memories aren't false... no matter how iffy they are..._ My initial thoughts were cut short at that last statement. _No matter how iffy they are..._ The fact that they were fragmented put a damper on my wishful thinking. "Current...?" Emile asked hesitantly. "Yes?"

"Are you truly who you say you are?" he continued. That's a question that still rings in my ears, even as I compose this very sentence. "I don't know anymore... I am merely stating what I remember now..." and I'm pretty sure that answer still rings in HIS ears. "I remember living in the early 21st century of my planet, living in the most peaceful area of my country. Sure we weren't the happiest, or wealthiest, and we didn't have that many people below the age of 63, but we had the lowest crime rate in the country and we were dang proud of it." I nearly said damn proud, but as I started I remembered the Emolga's age.

"But... didn't you say '2087' when you were reading through the book? If I'm right about your measurement of time that's several decades later." He was right... "...Emile?"

"Yes?" he replied. "I promise that I'm giving you the Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth, as far as I can remember. I know it may seem otherwise but it's pure fact." He seemed a little anxious. "How do I know? With sightings of the Plagued Ones becoming more and more frequent, how do I know you're not a rogue trying to take advantage of the chaos?" He had a point. Even if I'd tried to help mend his wing, I could very well be manipulating him into a false sense of security. "Because I feel that lying is a weakness. NO ONE wants to feel weak."

He was silent... as was the rest of the area. "We'd better get going before something else shows up." I said trying to break the tension. He nodded and returned to our original position. "Are we still taking the left path?" he asked. "yup."

**Lunar Forest S3**

* * *

God said let there be light... and there was light. That was certainly what I was thinking upon seeing moonlight from the other end of the forest room. "Nearly there Emile." I said. I'm pretty sure he could sense the relief in my voice. "Good... my aunt and uncle must be worried about me." I could certainly feel the relief in his voice. "Hold that thought..." I said. Something wasn't right about the ground. It looked like a shallow trench had cut through the forest floor, like something big had been dragged along the ground... like a grounded plane. Or maybe... "Stay here Emile..." I said. "I think we got ourselves a U.G.O..."

You know how there are different variations of the term U.F.O.? U.F.O. is an anagram for Unidentified Flying Object. The _Black knight_ satellite is a prime example. Now replace "Flying" with "Grounded." Emile was about to question what I meant, but when I began hacking away at the surrounding vines he choked on his words. Clearing away the plantation, revealed quite a sight for sore eyes, yet it felt like beautiful salvation to me. Leaving an even bigger indent on the ground was the remains of what looked like a fuel trailer, but much more shallow, and more oval shaped with a cabin on the end facing towards the forest.

The two oval shaped segments (the second being slightly rounder) periodically gave way to a rounded shape, giving it rather awkward aerodynamics. These three rounded segments had lower halves that were painted green, while the lower oval segments were grey, and the lower cabin was a white contrasting greatly to it's rust tinted windshield, which had been left open. On top of the ship starting from the cabin were two grey wings on each side, sprawled out like a four-legged ani- Pokémon sorry. Directly on the back was a pair of flattened white wings, with two rudder wings located on each of them. A hose extended along each side of the ship, giving the illusion of weapons, with a red streak going a short distance back from where both hoses started. I initially I thought it was some kind of space-age fire truck, until I saw a flammable symbol on the other side of the ship. _It's a fuel ship!_

"Oh my god... what a find!" I cried out. Emile came running, his wing still not having fully healed. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" He screamed. "It's a starship it looks... No doubt about it, it's a fuel ship."

"Fuel...?" he asked. I began explaining how explosions power most transport machines. "Cool" he eventually said. "Well there are repercussions, but they're gradual. They only started to truly affect humans around 1980 though... now let's see..." I finished. "What are you doing?" he asked as I climbed into the open cabin. "Checking to see if she'll still fly." His eyes lit up. "Does that mean I'll go flying in a spaceship?" he asked excitedly. It was a one person ship, but Emile and I put together barely passed the weight and size of the average U.S. marine. I tapped the screen which sparked and hummed until eventually coming to life. Then a MASSIVE stroke of luck. "Voicekey save corrupted! Please insert new voicekey!" Yes! FREAKIN' BRILLIANT! This ship's equivalent to a set of car keys had effectively been given to me. "Please insert new voicekey!" the computer repeated.

I needed a name that would be obscure... something unusual in the Pokémon world. I remember a short eight foot tall volcano in the antarctic made of ice. You may think it would have melted dude to the heat, but quite the contrary it used the same principle of insulation that igloos did. My voicekey would share it's name.

"Please insert new voicekey!" it repeated for the final time. _Here goes..._ "Mount. Erebus." I replied. _For some reason I get a sense of dread when I say that name... It's like something's afoot with it... Yeah it's a volcano, but a harmless one that barely spews out enough steam to avoid freezing over._ I shrugged it off as a superstition. Something that would harm me later... dramatically.

I checked it's fuel reserves. _Umm... Wow... That's actually really good. It's like some entity is giving me a free ship. _Running through everything revealed two things, that I would add to my list of concerns.

9. Why is there still fuel in the tanker's gas canister, as well as it's namesake?

10. How is it still in flying condition? Yeah it's taken heavy damage, but it still holds oxygen.

It all seemed oddly convenient. Like someone had laid this all out for me... maybe like with that tree... "Hey Emile! We're flyin' outta here!" He looked like a kid on Christmas. "Well don't keep me waiting then! Let's head to space!" _Gonna have to deny that one Emile..._ "Sorry kiddo. We need to see your aunt and uncle first." he glumly looked down. "I have a good reason for not doing it even after doing that though. Wanna learn MORE about space travel?" He looked up curiously. "Sure." "Hop in then! Let's get out of here and get some sleep." He complied...

**Polaris Town Outskirts**

* * *

after messing around with the controls (and explaining the Prime Directive) I found out how to access the built in manual and we eventually found ourselves in the air. A town came into view, to which we decided to stop the ship outside of town, and rest for now._  
_


End file.
